Dell OptiPlex GX520 Quick start guide

www.dell.com | support.dell.com

Dell™ OptiPlex™ GX520

Quick Reference Guide

Models DCTR, DCNE, DCSM

Notes, Notices, and Cautions

NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of your computer.

NOTICE: A NOTICE indicates either potential damage to hardware or loss of data and tells you how to avoid the problem.

CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates a potential for property damage, personal injury, or death.

If you purchased a Dell™ n Series computer, any references in this document to Microsoft

®

Windows

®

operating systems are not applicable.

The

Quick Reference Guide

,

Drivers and Utilities

CD, and operating system media are optional and may not ship

with all computers.

Abbreviations and Acronyms

For a complete list of abbreviations and acronyms, see the Glossary in the

User’s Guide

.

____________________

Information in this document is subject to change without notice.

Reproduction in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of Dell Inc. is strictly forbidden.

Trademarks used in this text: Dell, OptiPlex, and the DELL logo are trademarks of Dell Inc.; Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks

of Microsoft Corporation; Intel and Pentium are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation.

Other trademarks and trade names may be used in this document to refer to either the entities claiming the marks and names or their products.

Dell Inc. disclaims any proprietary interest in trademarks and trade names other than its own.

Models DCTR, DCNE, DCSM

August 2006 P/N X9201 Rev. A02

Contents 3

Contents

Finding Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

System Views

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Mini Tower Computer — Front View

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Mini Tower Computer — Back View

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Desktop Computer — Front View

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Desktop Computer — Back View

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Small Form Factor Computer — Front View

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Small Form Factor Computer — Back View

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Back-Panel Connectors

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Removing the Computer Cover

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Before You Begin

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Mini Tower Computer

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Desktop Computer

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Small Form Factor Computer

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Inside Your Computer

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Mini Tower Computer

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Desktop Computer

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Small Form Factor Computer

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Setting Up Your Computer

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Solving Problems

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Dell Diagnostics

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

System Lights

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Diagnostic Lights

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Beep Codes

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Running the Dell™ IDE Hard Drive Diagnostics

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Resolving Software and Hardware Incompatibilities

. . . . . . . . . . . 36

Using Microsoft

®

Windows

®

XP System Restore . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Reinstalling Microsoft

®

Windows

®

XP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Using the Drivers and Utilities CD

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

4 Contents

Quick Reference Guide 5

Finding Information

NOTE: Some features may not be available for your computer or in certain countries.

NOTE: Additional information may ship with your computer.

What Are You Looking For? Find It Here

• A diagnostic program for my computer

• Drivers for my computer

• My computer documentation

• My device documentation

• Desktop System Software (DSS)

Drivers and Utilities CD (also known as the ResourceCD)

NOTE: The Drivers and Utilities CD is optional and may not ship with your

computer.

Documentation and drivers are already installed

on your computer. You can use the CD to

reinstall drivers (see "Using the Drivers and

Utilities CD" on page 41), run the Dell

Diagnostics (see "Starting the Dell Diagnostics

From the Drivers and Utilities CD" on

page 29), or access your documentation.

Readme files may be included on your CD to

provide last-minute updates about technical

changes to your computer or advanced

technical-reference material for technicians or experienced users.

NOTE: Drivers and documentation updates can be found at support.dell.com.

• Operating system updates and patches

Desktop System Software (DSS)

Located on the Drivers and Utilities CD and the Dell Support website at

support.dell.com.

• Warranty information

• Terms and Conditions (U.S only)

• Safety instructions

• Regulatory information

• Ergonomics information

• End User License Agreement

Dell™ Product Information Guide

• How to remove and replace parts

• Specifications

• How to configure system settings

• How to troubleshoot and solve problems

User’s Guide

Available in the Microsoft

®

Windows

®

XP Help and Support Center:

1

Click the

Start

button and click

Help and Support.

2

Click

User’s and system guides

and click

User’s guides

.

The User’s Guide is also available on the optional Drivers and Utilities CD.

6 Quick Reference Guide

www.dell.com | support.dell.com

• Service Tag and Express Service Code

• Microsoft Windows License Label

Service Tag and Microsoft Windows License

These labels are located on your computer.

• Use the Service Tag to identify your computer

when you use

support.dell.com

or contact

technical support.

• Enter the Express Service Code to direct your call when contacting

technical support.

• Solutions — Troubleshooting hints and

tips, articles from technicians, online

courses, frequently asked questions

• Community — Online discussion with

other Dell customers

• Upgrades — Upgrade information for

components, such as memory, the hard

drive, and the operating system

• Customer Care — Contact information,

service call and order status, warranty, and

repair information

• Service and support — Service call status

and support history, service contract,

online discussions with technical support

• Reference — Computer documentation,

details on computer configuration,

product specifications, and white papers

• Downloads — Certified drivers, patches,

and software updates

• Desktop System Software (DSS) — If you

reinstall the operating system for your

computer, you should also reinstall the

DSS utility. DSS provides critical updates

for your operating system and support for

Dell™ 3.5-inch USB floppy drives, Intel

®

Pentium

®

M processors, optical drives,

and USB devices. DSS is necessary for

correct operation of your Dell computer.

This software automatically detects your

computer and operating system and

installs the updates appropriate for your

configuration.

Dell Support Website — support.dell.com

NOTE: Select your region to view the appropriate support site.

The Dell Support website provides several online tools, including:

• Troubleshooting — Hints and tips, articles from technicians, and online

courses

• Upgrades — Upgrade information for components, such as memory, the

hard drive, and the operating system

• Services and Warranties — Contact information, order status, warranty,

and repair information

• Downloads — Drivers, patches, and software updates

• User guides — Computer documentation and product specifications

What Are You Looking For? Find It Here

Quick Reference Guide 7

• Service call status and support history

• Top technical issues for my computer

• Frequently asked questions

• File downloads

• Details on my computer configuration

• Service contract for my computer

Dell Premier Support Website — premiersupport.dell.com

The Dell Premier Support website is customized for corporate, government,

and education customers. This website may not be available in certain

regions.

• How to use Windows XP

• Documentation for my computer

• Documentation for devices (such as a

modem)

Windows Help and Support Center

1

Click the

Start

button and click

Help and Support

.

2

Type a word or phrase that describes your problem and click the arrow icon.

3

Click the topic that describes your problem.

4

Follow the instructions on the screen.

• How to reinstall my operating system

Operating System CD

NOTE: The Operating System CD is optional and may not ship with your

computer.

The operating system is already installed on your computer. To reinstall

your operating system, use the Operating System CD. See your online User’s

Guide for instructions.

After you reinstall your operating system, use the

optional Drivers and Utilities CD to reinstall drivers

for the devices that came with your computer.

Your operating system product key label is located

on your computer.

NOTE: The color of your CD varies based on the

operating system you ordered.

• Regulatory model information and chassis

type

• DCTR — Mini tower chassis

• DCNE — Desktop chassis

• DCSM — Small form factor chassis

What Are You Looking For? Find It Here

8 Quick Reference Guide

www.dell.com | support.dell.com

System Views

Mini Tower Computer — Front View

3

10

9

6

7

2

1

8

5

4

Quick Reference Guide 9

1 CD/DVD drive

Insert a CD or DVD (if applicable) into this drive.

2 floppy drive

Insert a floppy disk into this drive.

3 USB 2.0 connectors (2) Connect USB devices such as a mouse, keyboard, memory key, printer, joystick, and

computer speakers into either of the USB connectors.

It is recommended that you use the USB connectors on the back panel for devices that

typically remain connected, such as printers and keyboards.

4 LAN indicator light

This light indicates that a LAN (network) connection is established.

5 diagnostic lights

Use these lights to help you troubleshoot a computer problem based on the diagnostic

code. For more information, see "Diagnostic Lights" on page 32.

6 power button Press this button to turn on the computer.

NOTICE: To avoid losing data, do not turn off the computer by pressing the power

button for 6 seconds or longer. Instead, perform an operating system shutdown.

NOTICE: If your operating system has ACPI enabled, when you press the power

button the computer will perform an operating system shutdown.

7 power light The power light illuminates and blinks or remains solid to indicate different operating

states:

• No light — The computer is turned off.

• Steady green — The computer is in a normal operating state.

• Blinking green — The computer is in a power-saving mode.

• Blinking or solid amber — See "Power Problems" in your online

User’s Guide.

To exit from a power-saving mode, press the power button or use the keyboard or the

mouse if it is configured as a wake device in the Windows Device Manager. For more

information about sleep modes and exiting from a power-saving mode, see "Power

Management"

in your online

User’s Guide.

See "System Lights" on page 31 for a description of power light patterns that can help

you troubleshoot problems with your computer.

8 hard-drive activity light

This light flickers when the hard drive is in use.

9 headphone connector Use the headphone connector to attach headphones and most kinds of speakers.

10 microphone connector Use the microphone connector to attach a microphone.

10 Quick Reference Guide

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Mini Tower Computer — Back View

4

3

5

6

2

1

Quick Reference Guide 11

Desktop Computer — Front View

1

cover release latch This latch allows you to open the computer cover.

2

padlock ring Insert a padlock to lock the computer cover.

3 voltage selection switch Your computer is equipped with a manual voltage-selection switch.

To avoid damaging a computer with a manual voltage-selection switch, set the switch

to the voltage that most closely matches the AC power available in your location.

NOTICE: In Japan, the voltage selection switch must be set to 115-V.

Also, ensure that your monitor and attached devices are electrically rated to operate

with the AC power available in your location.

4 power connector Insert the power cable into this connector.

5 back-panel connectors Plug serial, USB, and other devices into the appropriate connector.

6 card slots You can access connectors for any installed PCI and PCI Express cards.

89

3

5

1

4611 10

2

7

1 USB 2.0 connectors (2) Connect USB devices such as a mouse, keyboard, memory key, printer, joystick,

and computer speakers into either of the USB connectors.

It is recommended that you use the USB connectors on the back panel for devices

that typically remain connected, such as printers and keyboards.

2 LAN indicator light This light indicates that a LAN (network) connection is established.

12 Quick Reference Guide

www.dell.com | support.dell.com

3 power button Press this button to turn on the computer.

NOTICE: To avoid losing data, do not turn off the computer by pressing the

power button for 6 seconds or longer. Instead, perform an operating system

shutdown.

NOTICE: If your operating system has ACPI enabled, when you press the power

button the computer will perform an operating system shutdown.

4 Dell badge The badge can be rotated to match the orientation of your computer. To rotate

the badge, place your fingers around the outside of the badge, press firmly, and

turn the badge. You can also rotate the badge using the slot provided near the

bottom of the badge.

5 power light This light turns on and blinks or remains solid to indicate different operating

states:

• No light — The computer is turned off.

• Steady green — The computer is in a normal operating state.

• Blinking green — The computer is in a power-saving mode.

• Blinking or solid amber — See "Power Problems" in your online

User’s Guide

.

To exit from a power-saving mode, press the power button or use the keyboard or

the mouse if it is configured as a wake device in the Windows Device Manager. For

more information about sleep modes and exiting from a power-saving mode, see

"Power Management"

in your online

User’s Guide.

See "System Lights" on page 31 for a description of power light patterns that can

help you troubleshoot problems with your computer.

6 diagnostic lights Use these lights to help you troubleshoot a computer problem based on the

diagnostic code. For more information, see "Diagnostic Lights" on page 32.

7 hard-drive activity light This light flickers when the hard drive is in use.

8 headphone connector Use the headphone connector to attach headphones and most kinds of speakers.

9 microphone connector Use the microphone connector to attach a microphone.

10 floppy drive Insert a floppy disk into this drive.

11 CD/DVD drive Insert a CD or DVD (if applicable) into this drive.

Quick Reference Guide 13

Desktop Computer — Back View

5

1

2 3 4 6

1 card slots You can access connectors for any installed PCI and PCI Express cards.

2 back-panel connectors Plug serial, USB, and other devices into the appropriate connector.

3 power connector Insert the power cable into this connector.

4 voltage selection switch Your computer is equipped with a manual voltage-selection switch.

To avoid damaging a computer with a manual voltage-selection switch, set the

switch to the voltage that most closely matches the AC power available in your

location.

NOTICE: In Japan, the voltage selection switch must be set to 115-V.

Also, ensure that your monitor and attached devices are electrically rated to

operate with the AC power available in your location.

5 padlock ring Insert a padlock to lock the computer cover.

6 cover release latch Use this latch to open the computer cover.

14 Quick Reference Guide

www.dell.com | support.dell.com

Small Form Factor Computer — Front View

89

3

5

1

4

6

11 10

2

7

1 USB 2.0 connectors (2) Connect USB devices such as a mouse, keyboard, memory key, printer, joystick,

and computer speakers into either of the USB connectors.

It is recommended that you use the USB connectors on the back panel for devices

that typically remain connected, such as printers and keyboards.

2 power button Press this button to turn on the computer.

NOTICE: To avoid losing data, do not turn off the computer by pressing the

power button for 6 seconds or longer. Instead, perform an operating system

shutdown.

NOTICE: If your operating system has ACPI enabled, when you press the power

button the computer will perform an operating system shutdown.

3 Dell badge The badge can be rotated to match the orientation of your computer. To rotate

the badge, place fingers around the outside of the badge, press firmly, and turn the

badge. You can also rotate the badge using the slot provided near the bottom of

the badge.

4 LAN indicator light This light indicates that a LAN (network) connection is established.

5 diagnostic lights Use these lights to help you troubleshoot a computer problem based on the

diagnostic code. For more information, see "Diagnostic Lights" on page 32.

6 hard-drive activity light This light flickers when the hard drive is in use.

Quick Reference Guide 15

Small Form Factor Computer — Back View

7 power light Turns on and blinks or remains solid to indicate different operating states:

• No light — The computer is turned off.

• Steady green — The computer is in a normal operating state.

• Blinking green — The computer is in a power-saving mode.

• Blinking or solid amber — See "Power Problems" in your online

User’s Guide

.

To exit from a power-saving mode, press the power button or use the keyboard or

the mouse if it is configured as a wake device in the Windows Device Manager. For

more information about sleep modes and exiting from a power-saving mode, see

"Power Management" in your online User’s Guide.

See "System Lights" on page 31 for a description of power light patterns that can

help you troubleshoot problems with your computer.

8 headphone connector Use the headphone connector to attach headphones and most kinds of speakers.

9 microphone connector Use the microphone connector to attach a microphone.

10 floppy drive Insert a floppy disk into this drive.

11 CD/DVD drive Insert a CD or DVD (if applicable) into this drive.

51 2 3 4

6

1 card slots You can access connectors for any installed PCI and PCI Express cards.

2 back-panel connectors Plug serial, USB, and other devices into the appropriate connector.

3 power connector Connect the power cable to this connector.

16 Quick Reference Guide

www.dell.com | support.dell.com

Back-Panel Connectors

4 voltage selection switch Your computer is equipped with a manual voltage-selection switch.

To avoid damaging a computer with a manual voltage-selection switch, set the

switch to the voltage that most closely matches the AC power available in your

location.

NOTICE: In Japan, the voltage selection switch must be set to 115-V.

Also, ensure that your monitor and attached devices are electrically rated to

operate with the AC power available in your location.

5 padlock ring Insert a padlock to lock the computer cover.

6 cover release latch Use this latch to open the computer cover.

13

10 9 8

5

6

7

24

1

parallel connector Connect a parallel device, such as a printer, to the parallel connector. If you have a

USB printer, plug it into a USB connector.

NOTE: The integrated parallel connector is automatically disabled if the computer

detects an installed card containing a parallel connector configured to the same

address. For more information, see "System Setup Options" in your online User’s

Guide.

2

link integrity light • Green — A good connection exists between a 10-Mbps network and the

computer.

• Orange — A good connection exists between a 100-Mbps network and the

computer.

• Yellow — A good connection exists between a 1-Gbps (or 1000-Mbps) network

and the computer.

• Off — The computer is not detecting a physical connection to the network.

Quick Reference Guide 17

3

network adapter

connector

To attach your computer to a network or broadband device, connect one end of a

network cable to either a network jack or your network or broadband device. Connect

the other end of the network cable to the network adapter connector on the back

panel of your computer. A click indicates that the network cable has been securely

attached.

NOTE: Do not plug a telephone cable into the network connector.

On computers with a network adapter card, use the connector on the card.

It is recommended that you use Category 5 wiring and connectors for your network.

If you must use Category 3 wiring, force the network speed to 10 Mbps to ensure

reliable operation.

4

network activity light This light flashes yellow when the computer is transmitting or receiving network

data. A high volume of network traffic may make this light appear to be in a steady

"on" state.

5

line-in connector Use the blue line-in connector to attach a record/playback device such as a cassette

player, CD player, or VCR.

On computers with a sound card, use the connector on the card.

6

line-out connector Use the green line-out connector to attach headphones and most speakers with

integrated amplifiers.

On computers with a sound card, use the connector on the card.

7

microphone connector Use the pink microphone connector to attach a personal computer microphone for

voice or musical input into a sound or telephony program.

On computers with a sound card, the microphone connector is on the card.

8

USB 2.0 connectors (6)

Connect USB devices such as a mouse, keyboard, memory key, printer, joystick,

and computer speakers into any of the USB connectors.

9

video connector Plug the cable from your VGA-compatible monitor into the blue connector.

NOTE: If you purchased an optional graphics card, this connector will be covered by

a cap. Connect your monitor to the connector on the graphics card. Do not remove

the cap.

NOTE: If you are using a graphics card that supports dual monitors, use the y-cable

that came with your computer.

10

serial connector Connect a serial device, such as a handheld device, to the serial port. The default

designations are COM1 for serial connector 1 and COM2 for serial connector 2.

For more information, see "System Setup Options" in your online

User’s Guide

.

18 Quick Reference Guide

www.dell.com | support.dell.com

Removing the Computer Cover

CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the

Product Information Guide.

CAUTION: To guard against electrical shock, always unplug your computer from the electrical outlet

before removing the cover.

Before You Begin

NOTICE: To avoid losing data, save and close any open files and exit any open programs before you turn

off your computer.

1

Shut down the operating system:

a

Save and close any open files, exit any open programs, click the

Start

button, and then

click

Turn Off Computer

.

b

In the

Turn off computer

window, click

Turn off

.

The computer turns off after the operating system shutdown process is complete.

2

Ensure that the computer and any attached devices are turned off. If your computer and

attached devices did not automatically turn off when you shut down your operating system,

turn them off now.

Before Working Inside Your Computer

Use the following safety guidelines to help protect your computer from potential damage and to

help ensure your own personal safety.

CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the

Product Information Guide.

NOTICE: Only a certified service technician should perform repairs on your computer. Damage due to

servicing that is not authorized by Dell is not covered by your warranty.

NOTICE: When you disconnect a cable, pull on its connector or on its strain-relief loop, not on the cable

itself. Some cables have a connector with locking tabs; if you are disconnecting this type of cable, press

in on the locking tabs before you disconnect the cable. As you pull connectors apart, keep them evenly

aligned to avoid bending any connector pins. Also, before you connect a cable, ensure that both

connectors are correctly oriented and aligned.

To avoid damaging the computer, perform the following steps before you begin working inside

the computer.

1

Turn off your computer if it is not already turned off.

NOTICE: To disconnect a network cable, first unplug the cable from your computer and then unplug it

from the network wall jack.

2

Disconnect any telephone or telecommunication lines from the computer.

Quick Reference Guide 19

3

Disconnect your computer and all attached devices from their electrical outlets, and then

press the power button to ground the system board.

4

Remove the computer stand, if it is attached.

CAUTION: To guard against electrical shock, always unplug your computer from the electrical outlet

before removing the cover.

NOTICE: Before touching anything inside your computer, ground yourself by touching an unpainted

metal surface, such as the metal at the back of the computer. While you work, periodically touch an

unpainted metal surface to dissipate any static electricity that could harm internal components.

Mini Tower Computer

NOTICE: Before touching anything inside your computer, ground yourself by touching an unpainted

metal surface. While you work, periodically touch an unpainted metal surface to dissipate any static

electricity that could harm internal components.

1

Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin" on page 18.

2

If you have installed a padlock through the padlock ring on the back panel, remove the

padlock.

3

Lay the computer on its side as shown in the following illustration.

20 Quick Reference Guide

www.dell.com | support.dell.com

4

Slide the cover release latch back as you lift the cover.

5

Grip the sides of the computer cover and pivot the cover up using the hinge tabs as leverage

points.

6

Remove the cover from the hinge tabs and set it aside on a clean, nonabrasive surface.

1

security cable slot

2

cover release latch

3

padlock ring

4

computer cover

2

1

3

2

1

3

4

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